Latest news with #Bisson
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stabbing suspect may argue self-defense in high-profile case
A man charged with stabbing another man during a fight on Elm Street in Manchester in February might argue self-defense as part of the pending case. Kyle Bisson, 25, of Manchester, faces charges of first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault and two counts of falsifying physical evidence. His lawyers filed a notice of potential defense that evidence 'may show that he was legally justified in using physical force in self-defense.' His case became part of a political firestorm after Bisson was released on personal recognizance bail. Gov. Kelly Ayotte and other Republican leaders used his release as a rallying cry for changes to the state's bail laws. Ayotte signed a bill in March that many politicians say will close a revolving door of criminals being released only to go on to reoffend. Bisson is set to be arraigned on June 20, according to court records. The charges stem from an incident in front of Bunny's Convenience store on Elm Street between Bisson and Michael Perry, 42. Public defender Tom Stonitsch says the notice is being given based on evidence, including police reports, body-worn camera footage and surveillance videos. 'Based upon the facts contained in discovery, the evidence at trial may show that Mr. Bisson used non-deadly & deadly physical force to defend himself from what he reasonably believed was the imminent and/or continued deadly force by M.P,' Stonitsch wrote. The surveillance video from the store does not have audio, but shows the exchange, according to court documents. 'In the footage, it is clear M.P. was the initial physical aggressor, punching Mr. Bisson. Mr. Bisson then appears to pull a pocket-style knife out from his pocket, but does not advance towards M.P.,' the notice reads. 'However, the knife drops, and as Mr. Bisson goes to pick it up, he is attacked yet again by M.P., this time from behind.' A police affidavit indicates Perry also called Bisson a racial slur before the stabbing. Perry claimed to have a knife and told police he went into 'combat mode,' the notice reads. In a rare move, the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office tried to have Bisson's district court bail revoked as part of a civil filing in superior court. Court documents revealed that Bisson has been released without objection from a police prosecutor. According to the complaint, Bisson stabbed Perry nine times with a pocket knife during the fight with most of the wounds coming as Perry tried to flee. In an unrelated case, Bisson was convicted of criminal threatening (domestic violence) in October and was given a 60-day sentence suspended for two years.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ampere Analysis Breaks Down The Threat U.S. Tariffs Would Pose To European Film & TV
Speaking at NEM in Croatia, Ampere Analysis Co-Founder Guy Bisson ran the rule over the so-called plan to save Hollywood from Jon Voight and associates, and assessed the potential impact on the European film and TV biz. 'A 120% tariff on incentives to cancel out global schemes is patently ridiculous and obviously very damaging, potentially, to the European industry,' he said. 'Tax treaties, local tax treaties in the U.S., and incentive schemes, just like we use in Europe, clearly, are the way to go if you want to re-enliven your industries.' More from Deadline Donald Trump's Tariffs Deemed Unlawful & Blocked By Trade Court; White House Appeals Instantly Life After Peak TV: "It's A New World Order... There's A Rethink Required" - Berlin Streamer Content Spend To Top Commercial Broadcasters For First Time In 2025 - Report A draft of Voight's Make Hollywood Great Again plan, obtained by Deadline, included a mixture of production incentives and a 120% tariff on the value of a foreign incentive received. After he presented the plan to Donald Trump, the President public proposed a 100% tariff on all U.S. film imports, including productions that shoot in other countries. The NEM confab and sales market is held annually in Dubrovnik. The latest edition kicked off, Monday, with Bisson's session, which was entitled: 'Content Trends in the Era of Trump: Protectionism, Production and International Markets'. The Ampere executive set the scene by showing how the European content business has benefitted from the U.S. studios widening their production bases and streamers setting up shop in several parts of the continent, resulting in orders for thousands of hours of first-run programming. He also said international markets are key to those same U.S. giants monetizing their series and movies with, for example, 54% of the total box office for U.S. films coming from international markets, according to Ampere. Getting into the weeds on the suggested measures, he said a 120% tariff on any incentive received overseas is 'one of the most concerning aspects of the proposal, effectively closing the door on U.S. producers making use of any overseas incentive.' He went on to break down what might happen if the proposed measure were introduced with a slide that pinpointed the UK and Spain as the two biggest potential losers in Europe, given the volumes of U.S. production in both countries. 'Obviously the big European markets – the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany – are on that list, but so is Poland, for example, and Turkey, and the Scandinavian markets. They have been the [among] biggest beneficiaries of that 'runaway' production.' Speaking about the notion of tax treaties with certain countries for films substantially produced in U.S., Bisson said the idea is interesting: 'While you still have to make a majority, or spend a majority of the budget, in the U.S., you can effectively stack or double dip incentive schemes through those treaties.' He also said any re-introduction of rules that prohibit networks (and now, SVODs) fully owning shows 'would remove one of the things that's annoyed producers so much, which is streamers taking all rights in perpetuity.' Trump has said that he would meet with industry officials, and the White House said no final decisions have been made regarding the plan. Voight, Sylvester Stallone and a group that included studios and unions later wrote a letter to Trump emphasizing the need for production incentives While punchy, the NEM presentation was, thusly, analyzing what are currently theoretical scenarios. Bisson said that the best hope for the European biz is that theory never becomes practice. 'None of this is actually happening or being put in place yet, it's just a suggestion,' he said. 'Who can predict what Trump will do next. You may have heard the nickname that Trump has been given: TACO; Trump, Always Chickens Out on tariffs. That's what we can hope will happen again when it comes to our industry and the suggested protectionism being placed on film and TV.' Ted Johnson contributed to this report. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Tony Awards: Every Best Musical Winner Since 1949 Tony Awards: Every Best Play Winner Since 1947
Montreal Gazette
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec government ordered to pay $164 million plus interest in ‘historic' class-action ruling for justice denied
News By A person's right to appear before a judge within 24 hours of being arrested and detained is a cornerstone of Canada's criminal justice procedure, and now a judge has ordered the province of Quebec to pay damages of $164 million plus interest for wilfully violating that right thousands of times. 'The (prosecutor's office) and the (Quebec justice department) failed in their obligation to put in place a system that guarantees an appearance that complies with the requirements of the Criminal Code, knowing full well that their faulty appearance system led to the systemic violation of the fundamental rights of those seeking justice by failing to comply with the 24-hour deadline on Sundays and public holidays from 2015 to 2019-2020,' Quebec Superior Court Justice Donald Bisson writes in a 155-page ruling dated May 20 in a class-action lawsuit against the province. 'It was expected that thousands of people seeking justice would be affected, and that is exactly what happened.' The suit was filed by the Montreal law firm Kugler Kandestin on behalf of people whose right to a court appearance within 24 hours was violated between 2015 and 2020. It's estimated there were about 24,000 such incidents during the period covered by the class-action. 'It's a significant judgment and we're extremely proud of it,' lawyer Robert Kugler said on Monday. With the interest accumulated, he estimates the province will pay about $240 million. 'It can never be forgotten that any time an individual is arrested, even if the peace officer thinks that person needs to be detained, those people are presumed innocent. They can't be punished until such time as they are found guilty. That's why there are such strict rules in place in the Criminal Code, to ensure that their rights are respected.' The judge ruled in favour of the class-action lawsuit in its entirety, stating that the Quebec government not only intentionally violated the fundamental rights of thousands of people to have a court appearance within 24 hours of being detained, but also that it did so for budgetary reasons to save the cost of staffing courts on Sundays and statutory holidays. 'The evidence shows that administrative and budgetary considerations led to the withdrawal of Sunday appearances, even though such considerations can never justify the violation of constitutional rights,' Bisson writes. Before June 2015, 'telephone appearances' before a justice of the peace were permitted in parts of Quebec, but these were subsequently ruled to not respect the Criminal Code. The class-action start date of June 2015 represents the date when the Quebec prosecutor's office removed all appearances, including telephone appearances, on Sundays and statutory holidays, Kugler said. The Quebec prosecutor's office had argued in its defence that it was the justices of the Court of Quebec who didn't want to sit on Sundays and statutory holidays, and therefore it wasn't responsible for the rights violations. However, Bisson rejected the argument, stating in his ruling that 'the responsibility for implementing a system that ensures compliance with (the 24-hour rule) belongs to the state and, consequently, to all state actors.' The province only changed its system and began staffing the Court of Quebec on Sundays and statutory holidays after the class-action lawsuit was authorized to proceed in 2020 — a fact that Bisson notes in his ruling. The province sought unsuccessfully to have the class-action lawsuit denied by a judge. 'It suggests this situation never would have been rectified without a class-action,' Kugler said. The class-action initially included City of Montreal and Quebec City because the two cities also did not staff their municipal courts, which treat minor offences of municipal bylaws, on Sundays and statutory holidays, at the time. After the class-action lawsuit was authorized against the province and the two cities, Montreal and Quebec City settled out of court, with Montreal paying $4.3 million and Quebec City paying $412,000 in their settlements, Kugler said. The Quebec government, however, chose to go to trial, which was held over a month earlier this year. Bisson's judgment grants the plaintiffs' damage claim of $7,000 per incident of detention beyond the 24-hour delay between 2015 and 2020, plus interest. However, given the number of incidents, the judge has ordered the government to pay a lump sum of $164 million plus interest within 30 days and to cover the cost of a claims administrator to identify and track down thousands of people who qualify for damages through court and police records. The province has 30 days to decide if it will file an appeal. 'Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be making any comment,' the justice department said in an email Monday. The Quebec prosecutor's office also said it can't comment, saying in an email: 'We acknowledge the court's decision and are taking the time to analyze the merits of its conclusions.' Numerous court rulings over the years have affirmed the fundamental right of a person to have an appearance before a judge within 24 hours of being arrested and detained, Kugler said, and other provinces allow such appearances on Sundays and statutory holidays. When a police officer makes an arrest, the person may be released from custody after signing a promise to appear in court at a later date to faces charges. However, the police may decide the person should not be released and will detain the person in a holding cell at a police station until they can appear before a judge. Before 2020 in Quebec, that meant a person arrested on, say, a Saturday evening would not appear in court until Monday and would sit in a police holding cell until then. 'A holding cell is nothing like a cell in a detention facility,' Kugler said. 'In a holding cell in a police station, the lights are on all the time. There's zero privacy. There's no ability to take a shower. You don't get really any meals, there's nothing to do. There's no television, there's no one to speak to, there's nothing to read.' The person may need medication or treatment and doesn't have access to that in a police cell, he added. Kugler said he hopes the ruling will serve as a precedent in another class-action lawsuit filed by his firm on behalf of at least 1,500 Nunavik residents. This second class-action claims that the right of people arrested in the North to a timely bail hearing — the next step in the criminal justice process after an appearance before a judge — was systemically violated for years.
CBC
01-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Here's how Quebec's bottle deposit-refund system is changing on March 1
As of March 1, you'll be charged 10 cents on all your plastic bottles ranging from 100 millilitres to two litres. But you'll get your money back if you return them to one of Quebec's 3,500 participating retailers that currently have deposit-return systems. About 1.2 billion new plastic containers will be subjected to a 10-cent deposit. Before today, the measure only applied to plastic bottles for soft drinks. "There was a lot of job to be done, but we are confident that, for [today], everything will go great and the Quebecers will be able to return the containers," said Normand Bisson, president and CEO of Consignaction, the organization responsible for managing the system. He says the plastic is "100 per cent recycled," with around 90 per cent recycled in the province. "The material is very clean," he said. "We are able to use them to make new containers." What this means for you A comprehensive list of returnable beverage containers is available on Consignaction's website. "Containers of water, sparkling water, juices, some milk containers, some SAQ containers will be under deposit," said Bisson. "We will still have the deposit on glass containers, only for soft drink and beer." Quebec's new bottle deposit and return system was slated to come into effect in 2022, but was delayed until 2023, and again until March 1. The phases of the plan are being rolled out gradually. As of November 1, 2023, the system had been extended to all aluminum beverage containers from 100 millilitres to two litres and included cans of ready-to-drink beverages. March 1 marks the second phase of the project. By March 1, 2027, an expansion of the system is expected to cover all glass and multi-layer carton ready-to-drink containers from 100 millilitres to two litres. Bumps ahead for retailers The new phase of the project may not go smoothly for all retailers. Out of the 200 return locations planned by Consignaction, only 47 of them have opened their doors so far, and there's no sign that the process will speed up. According to regulations, 100 sites must be ready by September, 200 by March 2026, 300 by September 2026 and 400 by March 2027. "The fact that 1.2 billion new containers enter the system, it's a lot of pressure on the shoulders of retailers," said Francis Mailly, vice-president of public affairs for the Retail Council of Canada. He added that the new system has to be efficient to ensure the workload doesn't fall on retailers. "The primary mission of a grocery store is to sell food, not to serve as a collection and sorting centre," said Mailly. Consignaction has stopped all new construction for return sites for plastic, glass and aluminum containers due to lack of funding. At the end of November of last year, the Quebec government said it was postponing the implementation of the deposit system for glass and multi-layer beverage containers by two years due to delays caused by Consignaction. It also launched an administrative investigation to look into those delays. In the meantime, BMO bankers have suspended financing for the new sites, worried that Quebec will withdraw Consignaction's management of the deposit as a result of its investigation. "The investigation is on its way. We are co-operating," said Bisson. Mailly encourages consumers not to hurry to the stores on Saturday. "The system will be there for a very long time so if you have containers in your basement that you're collecting, just don't come in the first days," he said. "Don't rush on the first days to help us make sure that our stores have enough space to manage that."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Judge denies request to revoke bail for stabbing suspect
Feb. 19—The mother of a man violently stabbed multiple times during a fight outside a Manchester convenience store two weeks ago didn't hold back her thoughts about a judge after he denied a request to have the suspect held on bail. "I wish it was your son," Roxanne Perry yelled at Judge Michael Klass during the proceeding. The release of Kyle Bisson, 25, of Manchester, on personal recognizance bail by Magistrate Stephanie Johnson the day after the Feb. 7 altercation has become a political firestorm. The Manchester Police Department, Mayor Jay Ruais and Gov. Kelly Ayotte have all used Bisson's release to argue the need for bail reform. Bisson faces charges of second-degree assault and two counts of falsifying evidence after the stabbing of Michael Perry, 42, in front of Bunny's Convenience store on Elm Street. The two men did not know each other. A police affidavit indicates Perry punched Bisson and called him a racial slur before the stabbing. The fight was caught on surveillance camera, which prosecutor Patrick Ives showed to Klass during a hearing at Hillsborough County Superior Court Wednesday. Roxanne Perry's anger spilled into the lobby after Klass ordered the courtroom cleared with her saying, "They let that animal walk!" It was revealed in court documents that a police prosecutor didn't argue for Bisson to be held during his arraignment in Manchester District Court last week. In a unique move, the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office filed an appeal on a judge's order that the police prosecutor agreed to without objection. Klass said the state did not meet its burden to prove Bisson would be a danger to the public. "While again this involves a troubling and violent episode, the facts before the court do not justify defendant detention going forward," Klass ruled. Klass called a recess to personally review surveillance footage of the confrontation. "The video reflects that M.P. and the defendant both played a role in this incident," the judge said. "They both appeared to be aggressors at times. The video appears consistent with the defendant's affidavit." The alleged victim, Michael Perry, sat in the front of the court with his mother and displayed a scar on his hand from the stabbing. According to the complaint, Bisson stabbed Perry nine times with a pocket knife during a fight with most of the wounds coming as Perry tried to flee. Bisson told police that Perry had called him a derogatory name for Black people and that Perry punched him in the face and jumped on top of him, according to the affidavit. Bisson thought he was going "to get beaten to a pulp" and said he acted in self-defense, according to court documents. Prosecutor Patrick Ives showed Klass surveillance video from Bunny's on the night of the violent exchange and highlighted the timeline. "The defendant is at no physical risk," Ives said. "He is on the other side of Amherst Street five times; each time choosing to reengage in this increasingly heated altercation." He noted Bisson discarded the knife down a drain and the jacket he was wearing. Public defender Tom Stonitsch argued Bisson had the right to defend himself and urged Klass to watch the entire video without an "editorialized" version by Ives. "What you'll see is every single time that my client comes back, he stops several feet away from M.P.," Stonitsch said. "He stops, and M.P. approaches." During the confrontation, Perry told Bisson that he had a knife, which prompted fear for Bisson, and the punch was aimed at "knocking my client out," Stonitsch said. Klass noted Bisson, even though he tossed the knife and jacket, called police, reported for his arraignment and came to the police station. In an unrelated case, Bisson was convicted of criminal threatening (domestic violence) in October and was given a 60-day sentence suspended for two years. Klass said the misdemeanor offenses don't show random acts of violence. In a statement Wednesday, Mayor Ruais said he was disappointed the defendant's personal recognizance bail was not revoked. "This incident brought real violence to our downtown, threatening citizens and business owners, which is unacceptable," he said. "Despite today's decision, I remain confident that legislators in Concord are listening and will get behind the necessary changes to our bail laws. Violent and repeat offenders need to stay behind bars."
